I own a great manual ice crusher (you know the hand crank kind) that I actually bought at the Forbidden Island Parking Lot Sale and I love the big thing. Thing is I need one to leave at my vacation place on Kauai so I am wondering if any of the new ones are any good. I don't really want an electric one and I am fully aware that the ones on Amazon look flimsy.

Your best bet will be to buy a vintage one. You can pick them up at an antique mall or Ebay for $15-$30. They are indestructible and work like a dream. For countertop ones I would go with an "Ice-o-Mat","Swing Away" or the Sears version called "Maid of Honor". If you want a wall mount the "Dazey" is my favorite.Those crappy ones from China won't last long.

Before I bought ours, I would have agreed with you. The seemingly P.O.S diecast one we were lucky enough to purchase has been amazing.

I'm all for vintage, though. And the Hammer/cloth process is never fail and time-honored, for sure.
_________________"If you can't be a good example -- then you'll just have to be a horrible warning."-Catherine Aird